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Credit/Debit Card Fraud! Oh No!

Greetings follow bloggers and visitors!

‘Tis the season for scammers and all that’s worrisome during the shopping season! But don’t fret, here are 4 ways to protect your account(s):

We all know too well that no matter how safe you are with your credit card and debit card accounts, fraud can still happen. So, sign up for alerts through text and/or email about a purchase so you can take action immediately, if you notice something suspicious.

While we’re bustling around from store to store- get receipts for every purchase and use this once you are settled at home to confirm any amount that appears on your account activity. You might be surprised to know that many customers can’t remember if they shopped at a particular store within a certain time-frame and receipts can help filter out fraudulent/unrecognized charges.

Monitor your accounts regularly. With today’s technology, it’s really easy to check on your accounts. Even if you are averse to change (yes, there are some people who prefer to stick to outdated paradigms, like telephone banking i.e.- using the banks automated phone system to listen to their transactions), one must review transaction history in case a merchant inadvertently charged twice for the same item. It happens, and due diligence on our part will help discover discrepancies early to fix it while it’s still pending. Once it posts to your account, it will take longer to get your money back. In most instances, you can call the merchant and the error can be fixed immediately, other times it can take a few days to fall off the account.

If you see inaccuracies, contact your bank as soon as possible, and cancel or close the credit/debit card and have a new one issued, if warranted. Keep your cool and stay alert during this shopping season.